Lock push plate device



Feb. 21, 1933.

J. O. SOEMER LOCK PUSH PLATE DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1930 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY:

Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN OTTO SOEMER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEFFENS-AMBERG 00., OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY LOCK PUSH PLATE DEVICE Application filed, September 3, 1930. Serial No. 479,458.

This invention relates, generally, to lock releasing devices, and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel panic lock push plate device adapted for releasing exit looks or latches which are used especially in buildings where many people are adapted to congregate, as for example, school buildings and theatres.

Panic lock operating devices as heretofore generally constructed employ a transverse rod or rods which are positioned in front of and extend across the exit door and are adapted to be pushed toward the door to effect the unlocking and release of the door. Such panic lock operating devices are commonly quite bulky and project an appreciable distance into the door opening area when the door is open, thereby tending to obstruct the passage unduly and causing persons using the same to tear their clothes or to receive bodily injury, especially in times of panic when several persons push through the door at a time. Also, persons unfamiliar with such devices know neither that the rods are to be actuated to open the doors nor how to operate the same, resulting in confusion and loss of valuable time in times of panic.

The principal object of the present invention is not only to provide a panic lock push plate device of novel design which is compact and fits closely against the door so as not to unduly obstruct the door passage when the door is open, but which is also simply and easily operated to release the door lock or latch, the said push plate having a simple legend consisting of the word Push thereon to indicate how the same is operated.

Another object of the present invention lies in the provision of a panic lock push plate device having a novel, easily operated, dogging device for holding the push plate in unlocked position, in which position the same is fiat against the door, and out of the Way so as not to be subject to continual and frequent manipulation by persons using the door or by others, as, for example, children who may otherwise operate the push plate merely to observe the functioning of the same.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel lock push plate device which is of simple, sturdy construction and which is highly. attractive in appearance. Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Theinvention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a View in elevation showing the novel panic lock .push plate deviceof this invention mounted upon a door for releasing the lock thereof, the door having portions broken away for the purpose of sim plifying the drawing; Figure 2 is a view in elevation looking at the left side of the structure shown in Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but illustrates the use of a key for dogging down the push plate to hold the door lock in released position, the push plate being fiat against the door and out of the way while thus dogged down;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure l and illustrates the construction of the push plate;

Figure 5 an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 55 of-Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear view of the push plate device shown in Figure 5, but with the push plate dogged down.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawing, the reference numeral 1 designates a door having a lock 2 provided with main latch bolts 3 and an auxiliary bolt i for cooperating with a suitable jamb strike. Door 1 is illustrated as equipped with the novel lock push plate device of this invention which is adapted to release the lock bolts 3 and 4 of lock 2 upon proper manipulation of the push plate thereof. The lock push plate device is mounted upon the inner surface of the door and has means operated by the application of hand pressure to the push plate to raise the bar latckh lift of the lock 2, to thereby release this 100 r 11ig tl1I'OUgl1 acontorming longitudinal slot provided in'the lower side of a horizontally extending tube 9 (see especially Figure 1). The upper edge portion of the plate 8 tends upwardly across the interior of tube 9 and abuts the inner surface of the upper wallot'this tube and is secured in fixed position within this tube, as by soldering or welding. The lower edge portion of plate S projects'through a conforminglongitudinal slot providedin the upper y'all of the somewhat larger horizontally extending tubell. The "lower edge portion ofplate Sextends downwardly across the interior of tube '11 and abuts the inner lower wall of this tube. Plate 8 is also secured to tube 11 as by soldering or welding. The end portions of plate 8 and tubes 9 and 11 extend into and are suitably secured within conforming recesses provided in end castings 12 and 12, which overlie the dogging plates 6 and 7, respectively. Plate 8 has the word Push stamped or otherwise inscribed thereon.

"he push plate 5, consisting of plate 8, tubes 9 and 11 and end castings 12 and 12, is illustrated as pivoted upon the dogging plates 6 and 7 by means of headed pivot pins 13. Pivot pins 13 extend through and are rotatably mounted in horizontal bearing apertures 1% provided in bosses 15 formed on the dogging plates. The inner end portions of these pins project through circular aper- -tures provided in the end castings 12 and 12' and into the hollow interior of the end portions of tube 9 wherein these pins are fixedly retained as by dowel pins 16, which extend through the end castings, tube 9 and pins 13.

End casting 12 is formed with an inward- -l v' directed operating linger 17 which proiects into a mortise 18 provided in the stile of door 1. Operating linger 17 is adapted to engage and raise the bar latch lift 19 of lock 2 when push plate 5 is pushed toward the surface of door 1 so as to thereby unlock this 1 lock. A depending lug 20 is formed upon the "frec'end of operating linger 17. A-coil tension spring 22 has its upper end connected to big 20 and its lower end connected to an anchor lug 23 formed upon and projecting -rearwardly from dogging plate 7. Tension spring 22 tends to urgeoperat-ing finger 17 downwardly and out 01" engagment with bar latch lift 19, thereby biasing push plate 5 to "its normal outwardly turned position away from the door 1, as illustrated in Figures 2 and hen pressure is applied to the push plate 5, causing this plate to swing toward the door while pins 13 turn in their bearings 1 1, operating linger 17 is swung upwardly against the tension of spring 22, thereby actuating bar latch lift 19 to released position and unlocking lock 2.

A dog arm 24'is positionedimmediately below the operating finger 17 for cooperating therewith to hold the bar latch lift 19 and push plate 5 in their-releasedpositions. 130g arm 2% is pivotally mounted'as-upon a pin 25 that is carried by a pair of spaced lugs 26 formed on the dogging plate, the dog arm 24 being mounted intermediate the pair of lugs 26. Dog arm 24 is'formed with a transversely oilsetextension 27 which is adapted to be engaged by a dogging screw 28 which is threaded through an aperture 32 provided in an extension 29 of the boss 15. Dogging screw 28 is il ustrated as provided witha hexagonal socket 30 for receiving a cooperating key 31.

By inserting key 31 into socket 30,-the dogging screw 28 may be threaded inwardly or outwardly of the aperture 32. hen dogging screw'28 is threaded inwardly of aperture 32, it engages the "offset extension 27 of dog arm 24 and causes thisdog arm toturn upwardly about the pivotal pin 25, to t-hereby move-opcratingfinger 17 upwardly also. In this manner, operating linger 17-may be caused to move bar latch lift 19-to released position, in which positionthe pushplate 5 is flat against the door 1, as illustrated in Figure 3, and the lock 2is unlocked, thereby enabling the door to be opened from either side without opposition. When dogging screw 28 is-threaded outwardly of aperture 32, it

" moves away from ofiset extension 27 of dog arm 24, thereby enabling spring 22 to cause operating finger 17 to move downwardly and effect the locking operation of lock 2, while the push plate is turned outwardly from the door surface.

It will be noted that although the novel lock push plate device is illustrated as mounted upon a left hand door, it will be understood that the same is equally applicable to a right hand door. When applied to a right hand door, the end casting. 12 will be provided with an operating finger 17- to operate the latch lift of the lock on the right side of the door. In fact, in order to reduce thenumher of patterns used, the end casting 12 may be provided with an operating finger 17, whether the same is used on a right hand or left hand door. If this end casting "is provided with an operating finger when the push plate device is mounted-011a lefthand door,

such as shown in the drawing, then each-end of the push plate 5 may 'be'dogged'down when desired by use of the key-31 so that both. ends of the; push plate are held firmly against thedoor surface and prevented from rattling or other loose play.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diflerent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim In a lock push plate device for doors, plate members adapted to overlie a door, a push plate pivotally connected to said plate members, an operating finger carried by said push plate and extendinginto a door mortise for actuating a lock latch lift, a tension spring connected at one end to said operatmg finger and at its other end to one of said plate members for urging said operating finger away from the lock latch lift, While at the same time urging said push plate outwardly about its pivotal connections with said plate members, said operating finger being movable, upon pushing said push plate toward the door, to actuate the lock latch lift to released position, a dog arm pivoted on said one plate member below said operating finger, and a dogging screw threaded through said plate member for engaging said dog arm and adapted, when threaded inwardly of said plate member, to actuate said dog arm to cause said operating finger to move against the tension of said spring to actuate the lock latch lift to released position, said dogging screw when threaded outwardly of said plate member, serving to release said operating finger, which, acting under the tension of said spring, moves away from the lock latch lift to thereby effect the locking operation of the latter.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of August, 1930.

JOHN OTTO SOEMER. 

